Normalcy
by Laura and Amber
Summary: Let's face facts; Phineas isn't normal. But can the gang convince him that with a bet?
1. Chapter 1

"Ferb! I know what we're going to do today!", Phineas said as he turned to his brother and friends.

"Actually... Uhh.. Phineas?", Isabella cut in, somewhat nervously.

"What?", Phineas asked, curious why no one was as enthusiastic as normally.

"Well.. See...", she wrung her hands nervously, not really sure of his reaction. "We were all talking and.. Well.. We know you already took a whole day off to do nothing, but you think that we could have a day where we could just be...normal?"

"Normal? Whatcha mean by normal?", Phineas asked. "I thought today we could build a-"

"Well that right there! That's not normal!", Isabella said, pointing at the blueprints. "Every day we try to build some impossible thing with you and you know, it's really starting to take its toll on us."

"Yeah. Sometimes I can barely even eat my dinner after some days.", Buford chimed in, rubbing his arm sorely.

"You know, after that day I quit being Buford's nerd, I doubt you can even go a whole day without building ANYTHING.", Baljeet shrugged.

"I can go a whole day without building.", Phineas said, feeling a little offended.

"Phineas. Get real. You defied gravity. You traveled through time. You went around the whole world in two days.", Isabella listed. "You've done so many crazy, large, big-time inventions, while they ARE a lot of fun, how can we really expect you'd be able to just, take the day off and have fun like regular kids? You know, play video games. Read books. Take weird little quizzes on the computer or watch cartoons."

"We've watched cartoons.", Phineas retorted.

"Pinhead Pierre is hardly a cartoon.", Baljeet rolled his eyes. "It is not even animated."

"We've watched, actual cartoons!", Phineas restated, finding it hard to believe no one's noticing.

"Only the cartoon WE'VE created in ONE DAY.", Isabella argued.

"Yeah Dinner-bell. You know what? I BET you can't go a whole day without doing some insane invention."

"Buford, do you remember what happened the LAST time we made a bet?", Phineas asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Yeah. We traveled the whole world in two days. Not a huge deal, givin' everyone back their bikes. THIS time, though..", he pulled out a ten-dollar bill. "I'm putting out some money on this."

"I'm in on this action.", Isabella said, pulling out her money. "Baljeet?"

"Sure. This is going to be most definitely interesting.", the nerd smiled as he pulled out his money.

As everyone dug out the money they were willing to wager and laid it on the dining room table. Phineas looked at the money and shook his head.

"Guys. I'm not gonna-", he began to say before a 50-dollar bill was raised.

Everyone looked over to see Ferb hold it up with a serious look and toss it on the table towards Phineas, silently doubting his own brother's stability.

Phineas looked at the dollar, looked at Ferb, and then scowled while saying, "Oh, it's ON."

Ferb smiled, knowing he had the upper-hand.

The bet was laid out and the money arranged. Phineas would go until dinnertime without building anything. He would only do normal, mediocre, kid activities.

"Alright. So what's the first thing a kid would wanna do on a perfect Saturday morning?", Phineas asked, placing his arms across his chest.

"Well since it is 12 now, cartoons are out of the question.", Baljeet shrugged. "Thank you, Phineas."

"ANYWAY...", Phineas continued. "What next?"

"Um... Saturday... Kids would probably normally play mindless video games till they get hungry for lunch.", Isabella intoned. "Or just bored."

They went to where the video games were and looked through them finding only games that would attract Candace's attention. Not really theirs. Going to the game store, Phineas was already beginning to lose his patience with the bet.

"I can't believe this!", the young boy exclaimed. "TEN dollars for a 'JUMP AND DUCK'? Ferb I KNOW we coul-"

He stopped as Ferb looked over expectantly. KNOWING what he was going to say next. Everyone waited as Phineas stood there with his mouth open in mid-scentence. He closed it again, thought very carefully, and then turned back to the game.

"So. 'New jump and duck graphics'? I'm...sure this is going to be fun...", he sighed as his heart writhed in pain for saying such a thing.

Ferb smiled widely, walked over, and placed a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder before quietly saying, "We could build a better one...and sell it for less."

Phineas groaned, and headed to the counter after picking up a couple of other games, slammed them onto the counter, looking at the startled cashier straight in the eye and saying through gritted teeth, "Set me up."


	2. Chapter 2

Back at the house, after quickly going through the bought games, kids still weren't hungry yet and were quickly becoming bored/anxious. Lawrence happened to be passing by, curious about the kid's lack of activity.

"We bought games, beat them already, and the rest are Candace's.", Phineas explained, tapping his foot impatiently. "Can't think of anything else to say..."

Another tear at his heart as his step-dad took a moment to think over the situation.

"Well boys, there is my old video game system up in the attic if you care."

"You mean those arcade machines?", Phineas asked.

"No. I mean the Nintendo!", Lawrence smiled.

Up in the dusty old attic, after looking through quite a number of boxes, Lawrence finally pulled out an old suitcase. He laid it on its back, unzipped it, and opened to reveal an odd white gray box with black wires rolled up neatly beside it and dozens upon dozens of gray games with colorful pictures next to it.

"Ah, your Mum and I used to love to play this thing when you were younger, boys.", Lawrence sighed wistfully to himself. "Though I could never quite get the hang of it. Anyhow, feel free to use it. Just be careful and use the rubbing alcohol to clean them with a q-tip, alright?"

He left them to explore and after learning how to set it up, the kids sat down to start up a game. They cleaned it carefully and thoroughly, but after putting it into the machine and hitting the "power" button on it, the screen took half a second, then turned green, and then turned blue. Green. Blue. Green. Blue. Red. Blue. Green. Blue.

"...Is this a joke?", Phineas asked Ferb who only shrugged.

Candace happened to come by at that moment, seeing what was going on.

"Is that the Regular Nintendo?", she asked.

"Yeah. Um.. Is this how it's supposed to work?", Phineas asked curiously.

"Um. No. That means it's not working.", Candace said, coming over. "Surprised you guys aren't making another game that you could just jump into or something."

Phineas sighed, knowing this bet was going to indeed be quite painful to him. He quietly, and temperamentally, explained how they were taking a day off, though Candace found it hard to believe.

"Can you help us?", Phineas asked, earning a shrug.

She sat down to try to help them get it working, blowing into the game and beating the back of it a couple of times. Checked the wiring. But nothing worked.

"Sorry, Phineas. Guess it's not working.", she finally said, getting up. "Later."

Phineas stopped the quiet, colorful madness, took the game out, and tried other games. The same result would happen for many. A couple began to work but were quickly doomed to the same blinking demise. Some just remained to be black on the screen. Some suddenly showed a jumble of different colors and some damaged audio but after going through the whole stash, only a handful of games worked. One about an elevator. One about an evil alien attacking a small group of islands and the sequel to it. Another about a couple of dinosaurs blowing bubbles and ITS sequel with rainbows. There was a game about a mouse, running from cats on a train. It suddenly blinked out and stopped working. There was a game with a pink balloon with feet, eating all the stars or something. And there was finally one game that sparked interest. The cover had a stone gargoyle with bright red glowing eyes and the cement on its tail breaking off to reveal red flesh underneath entitled in neon green old-styled font, "Shadowgate". They popped it into the machine. It began to work and the little pings and dongs for the music seemed to catch everyone in the mood.

"Spooooky, eh Baljeet?", Buford teased the nerved child.

"C-cut it out, Buford. It is nothing.", Baljeet tried to reassure.

They played the game and found it was something of a logical, problem-solving game telling the tale of a hero in medieval times defeating the evil warlock. After getting used to the controls, the gang tried to keep calm about some of the graphics in the game that included a skull in the wall and eyes on the ceiling for a split second. When they made a bad choice and "died", the sudden appearence of the Grim Reaper startled most but Phineas kept himself focused on the time and was uninterested in the game. But as the story progressed, the group asking several different questions about what their possibilities were and what might have been the best choice in how to handle a fire-breathing dragon guarding a handy spear or what to do about a shark swimming in the pool where a skeleton was holding a key, Phineas became more intrigued. The game would reset once in a while, but saving the progress was available to their advantage and it acted right after a quick blink so progress was slow, but surely made. The kids had come to where a library was found in the game. Phineas clicked on a book to read and everyone became enthralled as they read the fast-written words, revealing the defeat of the warlock. But just as the items needed to be used began to be listed, the game suddenly shut off and was shut off for good.

"OHH!", everyone groaned, sounding like disappointed football fans.

"NO!", Phineas yelled angrily at the TV. "Why does it keep doing this? These darn games are so old, why am I even questioning their malfunction? They keep resetting EVERY TEN SECONDS! I have to save every time I go into another room!"

As he spat at the game, cursing it's age, everyone became very aware of how far Phineas is being pushed by this. While he seemed to grow more and more angry the more and more he got into the game, to suddenly see the normally happy boy yelling in frustration at the TV, now cursing the Japanese for not having better equipment to make it function right, Buford began to slip away from the room.

"I...think I'm gone now..", he began to say, walking to the door.

As he reached the door out, Phineas suddenly slammed it shut from behind scowling dangerously at the bully.

"...SIT!", he hissed and the single word sent the bully running back to his seat.

Phineas stormed back into the room and put on a different game.

"...I'm sorry.", he said through gritted teeth, earning a shaky nod from the friends behind them.

"...Hey Jeet?", Buford asked quietly, leaning closer. "Do you have any underwear I could borrow?"

The first one with the aliens attacking the islands was placed into the machine and they played until finally lunch was brought up, 5 minutes into the game.

* * *

_Lol! Raise your hand if you recognize any of the games mentioned! XD If you do, we'll give you a text-owl!_


	3. Chapter 3

_BTW, allow me to explain all the games that were mentioned in the previous chapter. From first mentioning to last: "Elevator Action", "Star Tropics" and its sequel "Zoda's Revenge", "Bubble Bobble" with the sequel "Rainbow Islands", "Mappyland", "Kirby's Adventure" (the one everyone got right), and "Shadowgate". All dearly beloved games that have been in the family for as long as both Amber and I could remember and all of the Nintendo Entertainment System console. TO HECK WITH THE 3DS SCRAD!_

* * *

It takes 21 days to set a habit and 3 days to break it. Breaking a habit though, is much harder to do than to say. And people who only break habits like smoking or drinking, can not possibly imagine breaking a habit that has passion into it. There is literal pain while breaking one such as this. To take away the keyboard or pencil of a writer, is near murder on them. They will go to lengths of insomnia to find any means of writing behind other's backs. Depression, rage, and other means of emotional turmoil will be of occurrence to them during the day hours. Even worse, however, was the case with Phineas and Isabella could clearly see this. He had been shaky and worried when he could talk and not build while Baljeet scaled a mountain, but this only raised her concern.

"Um... Guys? You think we're taking it a bit far with Phineas?", she asked as she sat down to lunch.

Murmurs of agreement came from Baljeet and Buford, but Ferb remained his normal quiet and calm type. He simply leaned back in his chair with an expectant look.

"What do you mean?", he said in an uncaring manner.

"...Ferb! Look at him!", Isabella said in quite a shock to the brother's attitude.

Phineas was curled up in a corner, hugging his knees tightly while streams of tears poured off of his face. His hands would either rub his stomach, his head, or his eyes constantly. His breath was shallow, he trembled from head to foot, and he was looking manically about the kitchen as if looking for a small beam of light in a pit of pure darkness.

"I asked him if he was alright while I made my sandwich and he said he was having a migraine. Nausea, light and sound sensitivity and all.", she said.

"He looks like he's been tortured without the blood.", Baljeet interjected, wincing some as he saw the young inventor.

"He'll be fine.", Ferb shrugged. "He took this challenge on. It's only his fault he's like this."

Isabella cringed, hearing Ferb speak like this but he did have a point. Besides, when a Flynn-Fletcher took on a bet, it was from her personal observation that they did not give up easily on it. But as the day progressed, the kids tried to persuade Phineas as he laid on the couch, wrapped up tightly under a blanket, to do something but nothing got through to him. He simply laid there like a cold statue.

"Phineas, come on! This isn't what normal kids do!", Isabella said, trying to pull on his arm, though it wouldn't budge. "You're freaking me out!"

"Phineas, please. Say SOMETHING.", Baljeet urged. "Say something at least!"

"If you're playing sick, you know, kids normally only do that to get outta school or something.", Buford said, also becoming worried.

Phineas only remained motionless. As if none of them were even there. Isabella stepped back, looking horrified as she saw him. It was a scary sight. Even more scary than when he and Ferb were dull and boring for the day. She began to regret making the bet in the first place. Or even wishing they had a normal day! Then, as her heart skipped a beat in surprise and hope, Phineas' head moved upwards a bit, like he was getting ready to say something. His eye-brows came together in a terrified expression of his own. Like he was seeing the grim reaper standing right there in the room. The kids wondered for a moment if he was going to throw up from the looks of it.

"Ph...phineas?", Isabella asked softly before jumping back in terror as Phineas let out a petrified scream that rattled the windows.

As he refilled his lungs, scream after scream filled the house as if he was being stabbed and murdered on the spot. Fear flooded everyone as Isabella quickly ran over to shake him and try anything to snap him out of it.

"Phineas! Phineas calm down!", she pleaded, panicked herself.

Even Ferb now, was also worried and right by her side, shaking the rest of his body with her. But Phineas kept at it, now grabbing his face with a pained expression and his eyes shut tight. Like nightmares were invading his mind.

"Phineas! PLEASE!", Isabella begged.

"Y-you won! You don't have to do the bet!", Baljeet said, equally worried.

"DO YOU HEAR THAT? YOU WON!", Buford bellowed out, hoping desperately Phineas would hear.

"Phineas please stop!", Isabella continued. "If this is about the bet you won!"

"Do you not here her?! We give up! Stop this madness!", Ferb finally pleaded.

"AAAAAAHHHHH-HA!", Phineas' face suddenly changed. A wide, malicious, and manic smile was spread from ear to ear as he pointed an accusing finger at his brother. "YOU admitted it! I WON!"

Everyone stared in shock as Phineas began to laugh, clapping at his own joke.

"I can't believe you guys fell for that!", he said between laughs. "That was TOO easy!"

"Wait wait wait, you...tricked us?", Isabella pieced together. "You tricked us into thinking you were sick and in pain?"

"I'm surprised you guys didn't doubt me!", Phineas agreed.

"You did all this for a bet?!", Buford said, now seething with growing rage.

"That is NOT fair! You lost! Kids don't scream in terror like that! Now it will haunt us for the rest of our lives!", Baljeet said, also getting mad.

"NO. I didn't lose. I faked being sick to get out of something. Just like you said, Buford. It's a normal kid thing. I also PRETENDED which is ANOTHER normal kid thing. Kids pretend. The pretending varies, so I PRETENDED to be in pain. Granted it DID hurt to play those games, I was PRETENDING to have a mental break down.", Phineas explained. "I have been acting like a normal kid throughout the entire day. AND YOU ADMITTED I WON THE BET, FERB!"

Ferb was quiet once again. No expression on his face conveyed what his thoughts were. He glanced to the side for a moment and then raised a curious eyebrow as his brother relished in his glory.

"FINALLY I could go back to building things! Let's get moving people! Time's a-wasting!", Phineas smiled as he got off the couch to head for the backyard.

"Phineas! Ferb! Dinner's done!", Linda suddenly called out, making Phineas halt in his tracks.

Ferb only smiled. The bet ended when it was 6 o'clock, time for dinner. The current time was 6:02 according to the clock Ferb saw. Phineas' entire day was spent without any inventions. Ferb's goal for the day was reached. Whether he lost $50 or not. He and Phineas shared everything anyway. Phineas looked back at his brother who was silently relishing his own triumph. It was a very quiet moment in the room before Candace came running into the kitchen.

"MOM! You have to see this! Phineas is trying to beat up Ferb!", Candace was exclaiming in all out shock and fear.


End file.
